Articles by tree1110 on ArticleSnatch.com

Unique and Beautiful Gift Ideas from the Southwest

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:39:33 -0400

Native American Pottery can come from the pueblos of the southwest or from the Casa Grande area. Mata Ortiz, Hopi, Navajo, Acoma, Zia, just to name a few, are pueblos that make wonderful hand coiled Native American pottery. Indigenous American Indians include those south of the United States borders. (Remember there are no lines drawn on the ground separating North from South America). Some of the best pottery I've seen is from the Casa Grande area where they create Mata Ortiz pottery. All of the native pottery is hand coiled and formed with native clays, dung fired and hand painted. Each pueblo has there own unique style of pottery. The images painted onto the pots usually symbolize the various pueblos beliefs and mythos. The Hopi pottery generally is decorated with a feather style, but also has many intricately painted geometric shapes on the surface. Acoma style is generally a light weight whitish clay with very finely detailed geometric lines and dots. I have quite a few with geckos and different types of insects. Zia pots usually have birds and flowers and a wavy line or two. Maricopa tends to be more utilitarian. The red clay pots are my favorites. **End Summary** Topics: mata ortiz]]> hopi pottery]]> navajo pottery]]> hand coiled pottery]]> hand painted pottery]]> native american]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Trina Strong owns and operates the online business www.oneofakindthings.com She specializes in gifts and clothing from the southwestern United States including Navajo rugs, jewelry, pottery, fair trade items, her own watercolors and oils, and Mexican hand embroidered clothing

Watercolors and Plein Air Painting in Utah

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:37:02 -0400

Preserving ancient rock art is paramount if we are to preserve our own history of the southwest. Early Native Americans detailed hunting sites, rivers, spiritual and other significant life events onto the rock. Today we can still see these carvings and paintings in the western United States. Painting rock art on watercolor paper or canvas is this author's primary love. The desert flora, birds and peoples create colorful and interesting subject matter. Plein-air painting of the southwestern United States is a way to enjoy the peace and quiet of this scenic region while creating works of art for sale. I love to paint the red rock and petroglyphs from the Utah area. I have the greatest respect for the ancient carvings of prehistoric Native American Indians. Some of the rock art is in the form of pictographs...painted with pigments naturally present in the minerals and plant life of the area, and dating back to before 800 B.C. "Unfortunately, many of the ranchers of the southwestern areas use the rock art for target practice or defame the rock with spray paint or their own carvings. **End Summary** Topics: petroglyphs]]> pictographs]]> watercolor painting]]> red rock]]> rock art]]> oil painting]]> plein air painting]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Trina Strong owns and operates the online business www.oneofakindthings.com She specializes in gifts and clothing from the southwestern United States including Navajo rugs, jewelry, pottery, fair trade items, her own watercolors and oils, and Mexican hand embroidered clothing

Fair-Trade Gifts Help Improve Lives

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:31:40 -0400

If you purchase a fair trade item, you can feel good about yourself. Fair trade means that you are paying a fair wage to an individual or community, usually in a third world country, for an item they produce. We've all heard about fair trade coffee, but fair trade also refers to many other products produced by countries from around the world. Textiles, baskets, pottery, jewelry, glassware, beaded items, recycled wire...even recycled flip flops are made into items that are beautiful and useful. In turn, some of the proceeds go back to the community or family to improve their lives. Some of the items are art forms that have been passed down for centuries within the community. I especially like the idea that I am helping preserve this art form from dying out. Magazine baskets are one of the most unusual and versatile items I've found while looking for fair trade items. The baskets are made out of recycled magazines that have been torn into strips, dipped in cornstarch and water and rolled into beads or woven together. The finished product is amazingly well made, sturdy and heavy. **End Summary** Topics: fair-trade]]> fair-trade baskets]]> fair-trade textiles]]> magazine baskets]]> fair-trade gift ideas]]> pillow]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Trina Strong owns and operates the online business www.oneofakindthings.com She specializes in gifts and clothing from the southwestern United States including Navajo rugs, jewelry, pottery, fair trade items, her own watercolors and oils, and Mexican hand embroidered clothing